The torture room in Kirigakure Village.
As a door creaked open, it was filled with darkness, dampness, and dead silence.
The violent aura spreading in the air made Juzo's body feel extremely unnatural.
Once inside, the surrounding atmosphere became extremely depressing. The long, narrow and dark passage was like a road leading to the depths of hell.
Yagura, who was leading the way, was accustomed to the environment here and did not feel the slightest discomfort.
"Why did you bring me to a place like this?"
As Yagura continued to move forward, Juuzang asked somewhat confused.
The torture room, as the name suggests, is used to imprison ninjas who have committed crimes in the village. For example, the ninjas of the Blood Mist sect who were defeated and captured before were imprisoned here for forced transformation.
All in all, this is a place that makes Juzo feel uncomfortable in every sense of the word.
Therefore, he thought of a possibility.
"You don't want to imprison me here, do you?"
Juuzang asked with some uncertainty.
Yagura's elusive attitude really made him a little on tenterhooks, even more elusive than the abdicated Third Mizukage.
"Why do you think so?"
Yagura asked back without turning around.
"Because I can't think of any other reason for you to bring me here."
"Don't worry, no matter what, if you haven't committed any crime, I can't imprison you here for no reason. Moreover, if I really want to imprison you, I won't go around in such a big circle with you. "
Yagura explained and told Juzo not to think too much.
"Although I'm a little upset, what you said seems to be the truth."
Juuzang sighed.
Indeed, if Yagura wanted to imprison him in the torture chamber, there was no need to go through these detours.
Yagura, who was able to defeat the Watermelon Mountain Blowfish Demon, could naturally take him down easily and casually.
As one of the Seven Ninja Swordsmen, Juuzou is very aware of the strength of the Suikoyama Blowfish Demon. Yagura, who eliminated the force belonging to the Suikoyama Blowfish Demon, is undoubtedly stronger than that.
Any resistance on your part will be in vain.
"Then why you brought me here is..."
"You also know the current situation in the village. It is in urgent need of some manpower. Let me see if I can find available talents here."
"it's here?"
Juuzang's expression turned strange.
If there is nothing wrong with his own mind, then there must be something wrong with Yagura's brain.
Coming to a place like this to find available manpower is full of weirdness no matter how you look at it.
"That's right, our Kirigakure's strength has seriously declined in recent years due to internal friction. Especially among the Seven Ninja Swordsmen, now only you and Lin Yuri are left."
"In that case, wouldn't it be enough to draw out the manpower from your direct ANBU?"
Juuzang asked confused.
Among the Kirigakure Anbu, there is definitely no shortage of outstanding jounin who can master the seven ninja swords.
Yagura was so confused about what was close and what was far away.
"The rest of the ninja swords are okay, but the great sword Samehada is special. That sword only likes ninjas with huge chakra."
"In other words, do you want to choose a master for the sword Samehada? That sword is indeed a bit unusual, and it is not something that ordinary ninjas can handle."
Juuzang agreed with this point of view.
Among the seven ninja swords in Kirigakure Village, the Great Sword Samehada is the only one alive.
To become the master of that sword, the first requirement is to have an extraordinary amount of chakra, otherwise you won't even be qualified to touch it.
The stronger the sword master's chakra, the stronger the power Samehada can exert.
That knife was not as destructive as the Thunder Knife, not as strong as the blunt knife, not as strong as the long knife in piercing, and not as powerful as his decapitating sword...but that didn't mean that Samehada wasn't strong.
On the contrary, Samehada's Ninja Sword is terrifyingly powerful. If a ninja who is one of the Seven Ninja Swordsmen fights against each other, the last person Juuzou wants to fight is a ninja who has mastered Samehada.
The difficulty of this sword is undoubtedly the most difficult among the seven ninja swords.
"I have already identified candidates. Because I have been busy with government affairs in the village, I have postponed the matter until now."
"oh?"
Juzo laughed with interest when he heard that Yagura had already found a suitable candidate for Daito Samehada.
"Although he is immature, he is undoubtedly an excellent ninja."
"Then I'll have to look forward to it."
"You won't be disappointed."
The two of them walked forward, one behind the other, towards the depths of the torture room.
The whole journey was silent, and after about five minutes, Yagura stopped in front of a cell.
Juuzang also stopped following Yagura, stared into the iron bars, immediately curled his lips and said:
"What? It turns out he's just a young brat. Can this brat really control Samehada?"
Juuzang doubted Yagura's way of looking at people.
The man sitting on the floor of the cell heard Juzo's complaints and slowly raised his head, revealing a childish face very similar to that of a shark. His skin color was a rare blue. Judging from his age, he was around seventeen years old. .
"Gotachibana Yagura..."
The boy didn't pay attention to Juuzang's complaints, but looked at Yagura and whispered Yagura's name in a low voice.
"Hey, don't ignore me, kid. Besides, it's disrespectful to call Mizukage-sama by his name like that. Let's just punish him with death."
Juuzang laughed.
"Really? Have you become the Mizukage? It seems that the situation outside has been decided."
Although his face is childish, his tone of voice is not impulsive at all like an immature teenager. Instead, he appears to be very calm and calm.
Ever since the defeat of the Blood Mist Sect that day, he had been labeled as a rebel and was imprisoned in a severe punishment room to serve his sentence.
Naturally, he couldn't understand what was happening outside.
"That's what it is. Kisame Kisaki, I need your power."
Yagura took a step forward, stood outside the iron fence and spoke to the person on the opposite side in a calm tone.
"..."
Hearing Yagura's words, the expression on Kisame's face twitched.
The torture room is undoubtedly a place where serious criminals who have been completely stripped of their human rights and freedoms by the village gather.
Only a few people who enter here can get out.
Kisame was also prepared to be tortured here for the rest of his life.
However, who would be willing to spend their life in this endless darkness if they have access to freedom and human rights?
Before Kisame could speak, Juzo over there had already spoken.
"Are you serious, Mizukage-sama? Although I don't mind such a brat joining the ranks of the Seven Ninja Swordsmen, I heard that this brat betrayed the Watermelon Mountain Fugu Oni. It would be better for those who have betrayed to be detained here and supervised.”
Juzo's intentions are simple.
A ninja with such a history of betraying his superiors is not worthy of trust.
If Kisame can betray his boss, Suikoyama Fuguki, then he, the Mizukage, may be betrayed in the future.
As a Mizukage, Yagura's safety is no longer a personal matter, but is related to the interests of Kirigakure Village as a whole.
A ninja with questionable loyalty like Kisame is not suitable to be placed next to Yagura, let alone one who has a weapon as sharp as Samehada.
"I'm glad that you are worried about my safety, Juuzang. But I have made up my mind and will not change it midway."
"You are Mizukage, no one can refute your opinion. But I would like to remind you that if he betrays you or even the village in the future, just don't regret it."
Juuzang sighed and said this. He couldn't decide whether Yagura could listen to it or not.
Yagura smiled slightly, turned to look at Kisame who was silent there, and asked:
"What do you think, Kisame? If you agree, I can release you immediately, and you can control Samehada and become one of the Seven Ninja Swordsmen of this generation."
"I'm really flattered. I didn't expect you to be such a naive Mizukage. However, as Juuzang Jōnin said, I have betrayed the Watermelon Mountain Fugu Demon, so I really don't worry that I will betray you one day. ?"
Kisame bared his teeth with deep malice.
The meaning is very clear, he can betray the Watermelon Mountain Puffer Demon, and naturally he can also betray Yagura, the Mizukage.
"Forgive me for asking, what was the reason for you to betray the Watermelon Mountain Pufferfish Ghost?"
Yagura calmly looked into Kisame's eyes and met his gaze.
Kisame subconsciously avoided looking and snorted softly.
"Don't act like you know me very well. The Watermelon Mountain Pufferfish Ghost just acted like he knew me, so I successfully attacked him secretly. This is the price of trust. Don't you think this world is actually very fake?"
Before Yagura could answer, Juzo snorted coldly and looked at Kisame unhappily:
"Hey, kid, I can only complain here about the falseness of the world. I can only say that you lived a miserable life in the past. There are many people in this world who are more frustrated and miserable than you. Don't pretend to know all the truth. As you So, haven’t I and the rest of my colleagues lived in vain for so many years? It’s really unpleasant to be denied the entire meaning of life by people like you.”
Kisame didn't speak, not sure whether it was acquiescence or disdain to argue with Juuzang.
"Stop talking, Juuzang."
Yagura glanced at Juzo.
"Hehe, aren't I going to help you teach this young man who doesn't know the heights of heaven and earth a lesson?"
"Be careful that trouble comes from your mouth."
Yagura shook his head helplessly, took out the key, and opened the cell door.
Kisame came out of the cell and took a deep breath.
The dull prison life was over, and every cell in his body was cheering for the free air outside.
Looking at Yagura next to him, who was more than a head shorter than himself, Juuzang complained on Kisame's behalf:
"How about it, kid? How does it feel to look down at Mizukage-sama?"
Yagura's face darkened, and dark black energy wrapped around his body:
"Juzou! Shut up, or I'll kill you!"
Height is always a pain point for him.
I am satisfied with everything about myself, but the only thing I am not satisfied with is my height.
It's like some kind of mischievous curse.
Juuzou shut up, Yagura's murderous look was terrifying.
However, is Mizukage-sama really 1.5 meters tall? Juzo doubted this.
Yagura focused his attention on Kisame again.
"I won't say any more. If you ever betray me, I will personally take your head off."
"That's really exciting. I want to try it."
Kisame laughed twice, not paying attention to Yagura's threat.
"Come with me. In addition, your direct boss will be Juzo in the future, and he will guide you."
"Huh? Me?"
Hearing what Yagura said, Juzo's expression suddenly became dull.
Kisame was slightly surprised and then laughed:
"Please give me more advice in the future, Juuzang-senpai. I will definitely work closely behind you in the future."
"..."
Is it really okay to place such a dangerous person next to him?
Juuzang doubted that one day Kisame would have a whim and stab him in the back like he betrayed the Watermelon Mountain Puffer Demon.
He doubted whether Yagura was taking revenge on him because of his previous complaints.
"Well, Mizukage-sama, is this matter...?"
"Kissame is an excellent ninja. Only by being guided by a senior like you can he not waste his talent. Or do you have any objections to my Mizukage's decision, Juuzang Jonin?"
Yagura's sharp eyes looked straight at him, causing Juuzang to swallow his words directly.
Looking at Kisame who kept laughing behind him, Juuzang always felt a chill behind him.
"Yes, I understand, Mizukage-sama. However, if he makes any move, can I just kill him?"
Juuzang knew that it was inevitable and had no choice but to accept this decision, but he also asked such a question.
Yagura's voice came from the front:
"It's up to you. If you have the ability to do it."
Yagura's words made Juuzang dissatisfied. He would not dare to say such big words if he was facing the Watermelon Mountain Puffer Demon, but this kind of young brat has nothing to fear even if he has mastered Samehada.
◎
In Konoha, in an inconspicuous residential house, a woman was breastfeeding a blond-haired baby.
This baby has six beards that are different from ordinary people. His eyes are blue and he looks very energetic.
While he was drinking milk, his eyes moved around lively, seeming to observe everything in the room.
The woman didn't pay attention to the baby's behavior and just breastfed the baby in a business-like manner.
Although she didn't know who the baby was, and she didn't know why the Third Hokage asked her to come over to breastfeed the baby, but to be able to ask the Third Hokage personally, the identity of this baby must be very unusual.
After the feeding is over, the woman gently carries the baby into the cradle and lets him sleep peacefully in it.
After doing all this, the woman turned around, and suddenly a black shadow flashed in front of her eyes. Her consciousness fell into darkness, and her body fell to the ground weakly.
He was wearing black clothes in the daytime, his head was covered by a black hood, and he wore a ghost mask on his face, which looked extremely ferocious.
The baby in the cradle opened his big eyes and looked at all this with great annoyance. He stretched out his hand and laughed. He seemed to find the mask on the mysterious man's face very interesting.
The mysterious man reached out to the baby in the cradle and prepared to pick him up.
Snapped!
My wrist was suddenly grabbed by a hand.
The mysterious man turned his head, and a man with white hair appeared there, stopping his evil intentions.
"Sorry, I can't leave this child to you. If possible, can you tell me who asked you to do this?"
The white-haired man said.
It was none other than Jiraiya, one of the three ninjas.
His face was cold, and the eyes he looked at the mysterious man were filled with murderous intent.
Without saying a word, the mysterious man forcefully shook off Jiraiya's hand holding his wrist and stepped back.
Jiraiya's figure swayed on the spot, and before the mysterious man had time to react, he punched him in the face, shattering the mask on his face.
The mysterious man vomited blood and flew out, but still tried his best to hide his appearance.
Jiraiya was about to pursue his victory when he suddenly saw a few small balls falling from the mysterious man's sleeves.
Jiraiya's expression changed, and he rushed to the cradle without thinking, picked up the baby inside, and jumped out of the window.
boom!
With an explosion, the entire house was flattened.
The huge flames rushed outside, carrying debris and injuring many passers-by who happened to be walking below.
Jiraiya stood on the rooftop of the opposite building with the baby in his arms, watching the injured people on the street screaming and wailing, but the mysterious man was nowhere to be found, and his face was ashen.
◎
The streets suffered bombing attacks by terrorists, which naturally attracted high-level attention.
The civilians affected by the explosion began to blame the Uchiha clan for their inaction. Although they were the village's security force, they failed to stop the dangerous behavior of the terrorists in time. No matter how you looked at it, the other party was negligent in their duties.
Unable to find an outlet, they naturally wanted to denounce the Uchiha clan's security team.
In time, the top brass of the security force gave various explanations, but they still could not satisfy the people. They believed that the Uchiha ninjas took the village's funds but failed to fulfill their obligations as security guards, and must make a public apology.
Regardless of the chaos in the security team, the senior management is also having a huge headache.
Because this terrorist attack not only involves the Sannin, but also the enemy's target is the Nine-Tailed Jinchuuriki, so this cannot be taken lightly.
"Sarutobi-sensei, how are you going to handle this matter next?"
Jiraiya took a breath and asked his teacher Hiruzen Sarutobi.
As soon as he came back, he encountered this kind of thing, and his mood was very bad.
"It was our dereliction of duty to expose Naruto to danger. By holding the meeting just now, we will double our manpower to protect Naruto's safety and will not let anyone succeed again."
"that is it?"
Jiraiya was a little dissatisfied with Hiruzen's decision, thinking that he was too dismissive of the impact behind it.
"The rest of the ANBU troops have other missions..."
"I'm not talking about the ANBU's protection. Although it's true that the ANBU's protection is insufficient, tracking down the prisoner is the top priority."
You can only commit a thief in a thousand days, but there is no way to guard against a thief in a thousand days.
If the forces targeting Naruto are not uncovered from the shadows, kidnappings like this will continue to happen in the future.
"We still don't know whether the prisoner is from inside Konoha or an enemy from outside. It will be very troublesome to investigate...but of course I will treat this matter seriously and will not let anyone take advantage of it."
"I hope so. Otherwise I'll go and warn someone myself."
Jiraiya said pointedly.
Apparently, he had identified someone as being behind the incident.
In Konoha, only that person could do such a thing.
No matter what kind of conspiracy he had, Jiraiya would not let his plan succeed as long as Naruto was involved.
"You...are you going to cause a disturbance in the village as soon as you come back?"
Hiruzen smiled bitterly.
Whether this incident is related to Danzo remains to be verified.
Jiraiya's appearance of being convinced that Danzo was behind the scenes gave him a headache.
"Naruto is not only an important Jinchuuriki in the village, but also Minato's child. Minato has sacrificed his life for the village, and I don't want his child to be attacked in any way in the village."
Jiraiya's eyes were filled with sadness, but then his expression became firm, proving his position.
"I'm sorry about Minato...it happened too suddenly, and I couldn't stop it even if I wanted to."
Hiruzen also sighed sadly.
"This is Minato's own choice. I have heard about the specific things from Toma Yin. The person who attacked the village at that time was a ninja with the Mangekyo Sharingan. The specific identity is not yet clear. But I am sure about this. We will investigate thoroughly.”
Jiraiya's eyes were full of unwillingness.
But he also understood that he was weak, an enemy that even Minato could not defeat, and even if he, the Sannin, was present at the time, nothing could be changed.
But it was extremely humiliating to watch the disciples die while the teacher himself could do nothing.
No matter what, the murderer behind this incident must be traced to death, and no clues can be let go.
"I know I can't stop you, but I also hope that you will be careful when tracing. If you encounter an irreversible crisis, just run for your life."
Hiruzen warned Jiraiya seriously.
Although Jiraiya, one of the three ninjas, was told to escape, the consequences of not escaping would be death.
Because he could feel that the water behind Minato's death was very deep.
It was so deep that even a ninja with the title of Sannin could not escape unscathed.
"Of course, I have long passed the age of being competitive. If I really encounter that kind of irreversible danger, of course I will give priority to saving my life. Moreover, it is almost time for me to get serious and defeat my Xuan Yuan. Needless to say, the power of the mastermind behind the Kyuubi's attack on the village will only become more terrifying."
Jiraiya sighed.
There are too many monsters and monsters that have emerged recently. If he continues to stand still, he will soon be eliminated by the times.
"Oh? Do you want to learn the magic of Miaomu Mountain? I remember you said that you failed in practicing magic in the past."
Of course Hiruzen understood what Jiraiya was referring to.
According to the notes left by their first Hokage Senju Hashirama of Konoha, senjutsu is the power of an immortal that is different from regular chakra.
However, due to the harsh training, no one in Konoha has been able to master the art of immortality since the first Hokage.
"Even so, I can't continue to be decadent. I will master the magic of immortality."
"Then good luck to you, Jiraiya."
Jiraiya nodded. He knew that the chance of success in practicing immortality was slim, but there was only one path in front of him.
If he wants to track down the mastermind behind the Kyuubi incident, his current strength is far from enough. Only by learning celestial magic can he have the power to fight.
"Well, there's nothing going on here. I'm leaving first. Remember to protect Naruto. Next, I'm going to go have a drink with Orochimaru. I feel like I haven't been together with him for a long time."
Jiraiya had a smile on his face, as if he was remembering something.
"Orochimaru... Speaking of which, his recent behavior is a bit strange... Just be careful."
Hiruzen picked up the cigarette holder and took a puff, spitting out the cloud.
"Hey, have you become more confused as you get older lately? He is one of the three ninjas. You shouldn't be suspicious of him, right?"
Jiraiya glanced at Hiruzen speechlessly.
"I hope I'm overthinking it."
"Really, it seems that you have really become an old fool. Time is so cruel. I don't want to say too much. You should decide on the fifth generation as soon as possible. Only you can spoil Danzo. That kind of guy, if Minato hadn't died, he wouldn't have dared to jump up and down in the village."
Jiraiya dropped these words and jumped from the window of the office.
